Relicensing of the Hells Canyon Complex

The initial license for the construction and operation of the Hells Canyon Complex – three hydroelectric dams and their reservoirs on the Snake River – was issued to Idaho Power Company in 1955.  The Complex was completed in 1967.  Today, the Brownlee, Oxbow, and Hells Canyon dams and reservoirs stretch ninety-five miles along the Idaho/Oregon border from Farewell Bend, Oregon north to Hells Canyon Dam.

That original license to operate the complex was valid for fifty years, through July 2005.  Idaho Power Company has applied with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a renewal of the license.  When issued, the new license will establish a plan of operation for the complex for the next licensing period.  The new operating plan will not only define the parameters for power generation, but will also establish requirements for flood control, for environmental protection and enhancement, and for the maintenance of recreational resources that are within the complex or directly impacted by its operations.  Since hydropower licenses are normally granted for periods of 30 to 50 years, the re-licensing process, specifically the associated plan of operation, is of significance to the WWA and its members.

The Hells Canyon Complex has provided great benefit to local and regional communities in the form of economical electrical power, flood control, and recreational resources; but there have also been trade-offs in the form of undesirable impacts on the environment and wildlife.  The relicensing process and the development of the new operating plan presents the opportunity to retain the existing benefits provided by the complex while encompassing new measures to enhance wildlife and environmental conditions.

For information about the relicensing process and the Hells Canyon Complex License Application visit the Idaho Power Web site.  You can find information about public efforts to enhance the environmental and wildlife requirements of the new operating plan by visiting the Restore Hells Canyon Web site.